What You Don't Know
by Cassandra Mulder
Summary: This was where Chloe and Lana's friendship ended. Post Reckoning.


**Title: **What You Don't Know  
**Author: **Cassandra Mulder  
**Rating: **PG  
**Spoilers: **5.12 "Reckoning"  
**Classification: **Smallville; Chloe/Clark; Chloe and Lana  
**Disclaimer: **If I owned it, things would be so much less screwy, you wouldn't believe it. It all belongs to the Incompetent Ones (AlMiles), Tollin/Robbins Productions, DC Comics, and the WB. No infringement intended.  
**Summary: **This was where their friendship ended.  
**Word Count: **985  
**Written: **January 28, 2006  
**A/N: **This was written for the enemies prompt at fanfic100, and I really wish something like this would happen. Everyone and their mother needs to dump Lana for good.

* * *

Chloe had cried herself to sleep every night since the funeral.

Clark was going through a terrible time, and he was beating himself up about what had happened enough that she didn't feel the need to help him. She didn't agree with what he had done, but she also didn't believe in kicking him while he was down. He was going to have to live with the consequences of his decision forever.

She cried because Clark had lost his father. She cried because he was hurting so badly and she had no idea what to do for him. She woke up in the middle of the night sometimes, wishing she could be with him because she knew he wasn't sleeping.

Lana didn't seem to be having that much trouble.

She moped a bit for the first few days after she had dumped Clark, and then it was almost like nothing had ever happened. Chloe started to see that her roommate and her best friend hadn't been nearly as perfect together as she had imagined them to be. Lana was still on her obsessive astronomy mission, and Chloe feared if she ever figured out Clark's secret on her own she would run to Lex with it. That would be to the ruin of them all.

Lana had never seemed cold hearted to her, but she sensed that something had changed. Even though she wasn't with Clark anymore, she was more determined than ever to know what he was hiding from her. Chloe felt she had to do what she could to see that didn't happen.

A quiet afternoon to herself was what Chloe had been seeking, but that was shattered when Lana stormed in and threw her bag down on her bed as hard as she possibly could.

"What's wrong?" Chloe asked, her eyebrows drawing together.

"Nothing," Lana said, trying to cover her obvious frustration. "A rough day in class, that's all."

"Yeah," Chloe said, unconvinced. "This doesn't have anything to do with Clark, does it?"

"No," Lana shrugged. "I haven't talked to him in over a week."

"I figured," Chloe muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Chloe, if you have a problem with me, come out and say it. You've been acting weird for awhile now."

"Oh, okay. If grieving for Mr. Kent and hurting for my best friend is 'acting weird'." She couldn't believe Lana was behaving like everything was fine. "You have lost a parent, Lana. Or two," she said, her eyes narrowing. She knew it was a nasty, low blow, but it was out before she could think about it.

Lana looked as if she had been slapped in the face, but at that moment Chloe couldn't bring herself to care that much.

"That was a terrible thing to say."

"Maybe it was," Chloe said unapologetically. "But you've been acting terribly ever since Clark's dad died. Don't you think he needs us right now? How would you have felt if everyone you knew had abandoned you after your parents died? You're petty and selfish, Lana, and I didn't think I would ever feel that way about you. Your true colors sure do bleed through now."

The scowl on Lana's face didn't scare Chloe at all. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Chloe, but Clark has never done anything but lie to me. I broke up with him because I'm through not being trusted. There are too many things I don't know about him."

"You know he's a good man. You know he loved you. What the hell more do you need to know, Lana?" Chloe said angrily, standing up from where she had been perched on her bed. "You were incredibly lucky to have him, and you never even knew it." Her eyes were shining with tears.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Lana bit out.

"No, I do. You're the one that has no idea, Lana. You have no idea what Clark has sacrificed for you. He's wasted years of his life on a girl that didn't love him; who could never accept him for who he is. You have no idea who Clark Kent is or what he's given up for you, and I doubt you ever will. I don't think you could handle it if you did."

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"It's just as well," Chloe said, picking up her purse. "I think it would probably be best if you avoided Clark from now on. He has enough to deal with. He can be a stupid boy, but he always deserved better than you."

"Like you?" Lana said bitterly.

"At least I love him for who he truly is. But I just want him to be happy with someone who really loves him and that he knows he can trust. It may not ever be me, but I can live with that as long as he's happy. That's what real friends do, Lana."

"I'm glad you're such an expert, Chloe. Thanks for the lesson."

"I'm requesting a new roommate first thing Monday morning. I don't think I can do this anymore, and I was here first so I can do that," Chloe said, heading for the door.

"So that's it? You take Clark's side and that's it for us," Lana said.

"That's been it for awhile, Lana. I can't watch you destroy him anymore. I'm his best friend, he comes first. Maybe what you don't know can't hurt you, but it's hurt him more than you'll ever know." She stared at the keys that dangled in her hand. "I'm going to Smallville for the weekend, so the room's all yours. For now. Goodbye, Lana."

Lana said nothing as Chloe left the room. She felt lighter for the first time in months. She couldn't be between them anymore, and if she had to make a decision, she chose Clark without question. She always would.

Finis


End file.
